Coping Strategies

Neither myself, nor Jason were very easy children to raise. So, it's only fitting that we would have two very independent, strong-willed children as payback for all the stress we caused our parents. And boy, are they strong willed! Thankfully Antalya is mellowing out a bit as she gets older, but Victoria flat out refuses to be restrained in any fashion - this includes car seats, strollers, shopping carts, and holding my hand. Over the last few months I've discovered ways to work around for those times when I need her cooperation. One such event, is our trip to Costco. They only way we make it through is follow a set pattern that includes stopping at the food court first to get Antalya a hotdog, and a jacket potato with baked beans for Victoria and I to share. I quickly scarf my food as fast I can to get something in before the girls decide they can longer sit at the table. Then we head back to food counter and buy one ice cream to share. I whip out the cones I bring from home and fix up a cone for each girl, and keep the rest of the ice cream as reserve for when we need it. Then I quickly buzz around the store throwing what we need in the cart feeling as if there is a timed bomb strapped to my back that could explode at any given moment. We get a mixture of odd looks and smiles from the other customers. And by the time we make it safely back out to the car I feel as if I have accomplished something great.

And so, if you ever happen on a scene such as the one below with a mother who instead of frantically reaching for a napkin chooses to pull out her cell phone camera, do yourself and her a favor and let her skip to the front of the line. It's not that she doesn't care that her child is covered in ice cream, it's just that she knows that if there is anyway of making it through the long check out line and to the car, she must make sacrifices.